The latest from the Colorado Capitol! - Western Colorado Alliance for Community Action

Our Western Colorado Alliance all volunteer Legislative Committee has been busy tracking bills and watching everything that’s happening under Colorado’s Golden Dome. We are writing to you today with an update on our big bills of 2022 and ways you can help them become law.

What’s the Big Story in 2022?

The 2021 and 2022 Colorado legislative sessions produced some of Colorado’s boldest legislation in a generation. Big sweeping bills on climate, energy, pollution, mental health, and racial justice are now being implemented by state agencies and put to work. This means that the 2022 session is seeing bills of more narrowed scope and limited focus. You can check out some of the bills we’re following at the bottom of this email.

Urgent Action Opportunities

Senate Bill 22-086 Homestead Exemption and Consumer Debt Protection

We’re always looking for ways to make big numbers of people’s lives better in Western Colorado and we’ve got one great opportunity to do that this year. Western Colorado Alliance member and bankruptcy attorney Don Bell co-authored an exciting bill that upgrades Colorado protections for individuals facing debt and bankruptcy. Colorado currently gets a “D’ grade on debtor protections and our Legislative Committee has decided to make this a top priority of 2022. We are forming an Action Team on this bill ASAP and need members of the public who want to help us plan and execute a winning campaign for this bill. Check out this fact sheet here and email me at joel@westerncoloradoalliance.org if you know anyone who can help. Stay tuned for more bite-sized action opportunities on this bill by email here soon.

2022 People’s Lobby Trip

We will be holding our major annual Lobby Trip to the Capitol March 6-8 (Sunday through Tuesday). This decades-old Alliance event is one of our most engaging membership activities of the year. You’ll get to meet face-to-face with legislators, see what a day under the Golden Dome looks like, visit the House or Senate floor, and help us lobby on priority bills! If you’re interested and able to travel with a group of Alliance members to Denver, reach out to me at joel@westerncoloradoalliance.org. RSVPs to attend are due no later than Tuesday, March 1.

Bills We’re Supporting So Far in 2022

Just Transition Funding: Existing and forthcoming bills on how to fund coal community transition opportunities for workers, local economies, and future employment sectors
Property Tax Exemptions for Childcare Centers: One policy option to help lower costs and solve Colorado’s childcare services affordability crisis
Measures To Reduce Use Single-use Meal Accessories: A viable and practical bill to reduce single-use plastic waste at Colorado restaurants and fast food establishments
Investment Water Speculation: A bi-partisan proposal from Western Colorado Senators Donovan and Coram on reducing harmful big money water speculation
Healthy Meals For All Public School Students: A very exciting policy option to link local food producers with local schools and to ensure that all Colorado kids get healthy meals at schools
Protect Health Of Pollinators And People: A proposed pair of studies on how Colorado can reduce the use of pesticides harmful to bees and other vital pollinators, including neonicotinoid chemicals.
Forthcoming: Bills on electric vehicles, building energy efficiency, financing for home solar and home energy efficiency, and air toxics pollution. Stay tuned!

About the author

Joel Dyar

Joel Dyar joined our Alliance as organizer for clean and renewable energy in 2019. As a 15-year veteran of community organizing in Colorado and six countries, Joel has worked to help social movements and everyday residents discover their power and make their voices heard on a broad spectrum of sustainability, social, and legislative issues. Joel brings a Masters of Community Development and graduate studies in renewable energy and green business to his work on behalf of our energy future.